Bowling ball lettering machine



Oct. 3, 1961 J. L. HAUGH BOWLING BALL LETTERING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Sept. 11, 1959 INVENTOR. c/A/V/ES A. H/fi/GH,

AT7OE/VEYS- l l m J w b Q FIG. I

Oct. 3, 1961 J. L. HAUGH 3,

BOWLING BALL LETTERING MACHINE Filed Sept. 11, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7472 /2 M FIG. 3.

J I /20 32 M4 INVENTOR.

M44456 4. heave/7;

4770NEYJ nitecl States This invention relates to an improved machine forstamping bowling balls and the like, with selected indented markings.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a more efiicient,practical, and versatile device of the kind indicated which enablesquickly, easily, and accurately indenting the surface of such as abowling ball, to form therein data, such as the manufacturers or ownersname or team afiiliation, patented grip instructions, or any otherdesired information.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the characterindicated above which enables pressurestamping, of such as a bowlingball, in a single stroke, to provide a single marking or a plurality ofmarkings, by the use in the device of a single or a plurality of markingdies or slugs, the dies or slugs being readily removable andreplaceable, and being capable of different selected positions in thedevice to obtain special effects, such as slanted letters and symbolsinstead of erect letter and symbols.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rugged, durable, andmechanically superior device of the character indicated above, whichactuated by hydraulic pressure, and which, while being herein disclosedas being manually operated, is capable of being automatically operated.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention willbe apparent from the following description and the accompanyingdrawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific form ofthe invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a device of the invention, disposed formarking a bowling ball engaged therein;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 2-2 ofFIGURE 1, showing the device in marking position in full lines and inretracted position in phantom lines;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 3-3 ofFIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical longitudinal section takenon the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a front elevation of the device;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical trans verse section takenon the line 6--6 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line 7--7 ofFIGURE 6.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals designatelike parts throughout the several views, the illustrated devicecomprises a flat horizontal base plate 10, preferably of rectangularshape, having a front edge 12, a rear edge14, and left and right-handend edges 16 and 18, respectively. Suitably fixed upon the base plate10, preferably oflf-center toward the left-hand end edge 16, close tothe front edge 12, and spaced from the rear edge 14, is a low-profile,erect, hollow cylindrical'seat 20, havinga side wall 22, and aninternally bevelled upper edge 24, in which is seatable the lower partof a spherical object, such as a bowling ball B, to be marked by meansof thedevice.

The device further comprises a horizontal longitudinal tnmnion rod 26which extends diametrically across the lower part of the seat 20, and isjournaled in openings 28 provided in the seat side wall 22, beyond whichend portions 30 of the rod 26 extend. An inverted U-shaped iiiiiiii?Patented Get. 3, i951 ice 2 yoke 32 has an arcuate bight portion 34,having an arcuate lower edge 36, which is slightly larger in diameterthan a ball B to be marked, and legs 38, which are suitably fixed to theend portions 30 of the rod, with inward edges 40 of the legs 38 disposedto bear against related outside areas of the seat side Wall, as seen inFIGURE 5. The yoke 32 is preferably in the form of a single heavy flatplate.

Formed in the front side of the yoke bight portion 34 is a relativelywide marking die or slug accommodating slot 42, which can be anindentation in the bight portion 34, backed by a horizontal,circumferential reinforcing block 44 on the rear side of and conformingin shape to the bight portion 34, and extending beyond the sides of theslot 42. j

Fixed, as indicated at 46, at their forward ends, to the outward edgesof the legs 38 of the yoke 32 are horizontal, rearwardly convergingstruts or brace bars 48, which, at their rear ends are suitably fixed toan erect, inverted L-shaped standard 50, at the rear edge 52 thereof.The standard 50 is preferably a heavy fiat plate having a verticallyelongated upright portion 54, having a forwardly extending foot portion56 on its upper end. Related forward edge portions of the upright andfoot portions are arcuate, as indicated at 58, to spacedly conform tothe curvature of a ball B on the seat 20. The standard 50 is disposedtransversely of the base plate 10, and at right angles to the yoke 32,and the forward end of its foot portion 56 is suitably fixed to the rearside of the block 44.

The rear edge 52 of the standard 50 is normally perpendicular and itsupper edge 62 extends at right angles to the rear edge 60, the upperedge 62 being substantially on a level with the upper edge of the yokebight portion 34. On the rear edge 52, at its lower end, is a fixed,rearwardly extending bracket arm 64. A clevis 66 is fixed, as indicatedat 68, to the foot portion 56 of the standard, and rises thereabove, andcarries a fulcrum pivot pin 70, across its arms 72, the pivot pin 76being spaced rearwardly from the yoke 32 and thereabove.

Positioned between the clevis arms 72 and journaled on the pin 70, at aforwardly offset point, is a generally horizontal rock lever 74, whichhas a rear end portion 76 which reaches rearwardly beyond the rear edge52 of the standard 50. A vertical hydraulic jack 78 comprises a cylinder79 which is supportably engaged, at its lower end, as indicated at 80,on the bracket arm 64 and an upstanding piston rod 82 having a head 84on its upper end which has therein a slot 86 which loosely receives andsupportably engages the lower edge 88 rear end portion 76 of the lever74. A helical contractile spring 90 is stretched between the rear endportion of the lever 74 and the bracket arm, and is secured thereto, atrelated ends, as indicated at 92 and 94, respectively. The spring 90serves to collapse or contract the jack 76 and to elevate the lever 74from depressed jack-operated position.

The standard 50 is shorter than the yoke 32 and the lower end 96 of theupright portion 54 of the standard is spaced upwardly from the lower endof the yoke and from the base plate 10, as is clear from FIGURES 3 and4, and is supported in its forwardly tilted, normal erect position, by aremovable Wedge pin 98 which normally rests in notches 100 provided inthe upper edges of the spaced walls 162, of a rest 104, which are fixedto and rise from the base plate, at a location immediately behind andradial with respect to the slot 20. The standard upright portion 54 isdisposed to subside between and guidingly engage the rest walls 102, inthe rearwardly tilted position of the assembly 106 which is composed ofthe yoke 32, the standard 50, the lever 74, and the jack, as shown inphantom lines in FIGURE 2, when the pin 98 i is removed from the rest104. In this rearwardly tilted position of the assembly 106, a ball Bresting in the seat can be freely removed and replaced, and rotated inthe seat 28.

Projecting forwardly from the upright portion 54 of the standard 58, atthe lower end 96 thereof is a stop finger 107 which extends forwardlythrough a closed vertical slot 109 provided in the rear of the seat sidewall 22. In the elevated position of the standard 50, locked in place onthe rest 104, by means of the pin 98, the finger 107 engages the closedupper end 111 of the slot 189 so as to preclude rearwardly tilting ofthe assembly 106, out of erect position.

When a ball B has been engaged in the seat for marking thereof, theassembly 106 is elevated by hand and tilted forwardly, so that the pin98 can be reengaged in the rest notches 100, and through a notch 108provided in the lower end 96 of the standard 50. The pin 98 is providedon its upper side with a longitudinal wedge surface 118, and isdimensioned in cross section so that forced endwise movement of the pinwedges the standard 58 upwardly, so as to retain the assembly 106 in itserect ballmarking position, as shown in full lines in FIGURES 2 and 3,wherein the slug or die-accommodating slot 42 in the yoke bight portion34, is normal or radial with respect to the ball B, on a perpendiculardiameter thereof.

Vertically slidable in the yoke slot 42 is a die or slugcarrying block112 which is formed in its lower edge 114, as shown in FIGURES 6 and 7,with a single or with a desired plurality of spaced sockets 116, whichare preferably hexagonal in cross section, to receive upwardly andremovably therein the reduced upstanding hexagonal shanks 118 on dies orslugs 120. These hexagonal formations enable putting the shanks 118 inthe sockets 116 in any of six different rotated positions, so that thelatter or symbol-forming faces 122 of the slugs or dies can beselectively positioned to mark erect, inverted, or canted letters orsymbols on a ball B. For holding the shanks 118 releasably in thesockets 116, spring-pressed ball detents 124 are provided on the shanks.The letter or symbol-forming faces 122 are preferably projections whichindent the surface of a ball B when pressed thereon. The lever 74 isoperatively connected to the die or slug block 112, at its forward end,by means of a cross pin 126 which extends therethrough and throughupstanding clevis arms 128 fixed on the upper end of the block 112.

A ball B being in place in the seat 20 and the assembly 106 being in itserect ball-marking position, the hydraulic jack 78 is extended, eitherby manual operation of a handpump, or by any other suitable source ofhydraulic pressure, so that the lever 74 is depressed forwardly and theblock 112 thereby forced downwardly in the yoke slot 42, so as to drivethe die or slug faces 122 against and into the surface of the ball Bimmediately therebeneath. As indicated in FIGURE 5, the lower end 114 ofthe block 112, and accordingly, the disposition of the dies or slugs 120thereof, is preferably arcuate and of the same curvature as the surfaceof the ball B, so that a plurality of letters or symbols can beuniformly marked, in a relatively long line, on the ball.

The illustrated hand pump 130 can be of a conventional type, comprisinga barrel 132 secured end-wise along the right-hand end edge 18 of thebase plate 10, and a vertically swingable handle 134 mounted upon thebarrel, the barrel having connected to its rear end a hose 136 which isconnected to the jack 78. Extending the jack 78 is merely a matter ofoperating the handle 134.

When the jack is extended, in a ball-marking operation, the spring 98 isstretched and put under tension, which is maintained until the jack 78is contracted, as by opening a suitable valve (not shown) on the handpump 130, whereupon the spring 90 contracts and elevates the lever 74and raises the die block 112 away from the ball B. In this elevatedposition of the block 112, the dies or slugs 120 can be readily removedand replaced, and the ball B rotated in the seat 20, to provide fordesired markings of different areas of the surface of the ball B.

It will be evident that, although the above described device is designedprimarily for indented marking or stamping of such as a bowling ball,the device can also be used for non-indenting marking or stamping, byreplacing the indenting slugs or dies with non-indenting dies or slugs,to be inked or coated with other marking materials.

Although there has been shown and described herein a preferred form ofthe invention, it is to be understood that the invention is notnecessarily confined thereto, and that any change or changes in thestructure of and in the relative arrangements of components thereof arecontemplated as being within the scope of the invention as defined bythe claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

l. A ball stamping machine comprising a horizontal base plate, acircular ball seat fixed on the base plate, a yoke pivotally mounted atits lower end on the base on an axis extending crosswise of said seat,said yoke having a bight portion spaced above the seat and legs disposedat opposite sides of said seat, to embrace a ball in the seat, avertically movable die block slidably mounted on said bight portion,ball-stamping die means on the lower end of said block, a rock leverhaving a first end pivoted to said block, means rockably supporting saidlever on the base plate at a point intermediate the ends of the lever,said lever having a second end, and vertically extensible andcontractible jack means mounted at its lower end of the base plate andengaged at its upper end with the second end of the rock lever, saidjack means being extensible to force the die block downwardly to applythe die means against a ball resting in said seat, said yoke normallyoccupying an erect position, and being tiltable out of erect position tofree a ball for removal from the seat, and means for releasably lockingthe yoke in its erect position.

2. A ball stamping machine comprising a horizontal base plate, acircular ball seat fixed on the base plate, a yoke pivotally mounted atits lower end on the base on an axis extending crosswise of said seat,said yoke having a bight portion spaced above the seat and legs disposedat opposite sides of said seat, to embrace a ball in the seat, avertically movable die block slidably mounted on said bight portion,ball-stamping die means on the lower end of said block, a rock leverhaving a first end pivoted to said block, means rockably supporting saidlever on the base plate at a point intermediate the ends of the lever,said lever having a second end, and vertically extensible andcontractile jack means mounted at its lower end of the base plate andengaged at its upper end with the second end of the rock lever, saidjack means being extensible to force the die block downwardly to applythe die means against a ball resting in said seat, said yoke normallyoccupying an erect position, and being tiltable out of erect position tofree a ball for removal from the seat, and means for releasably lockingthe yoke in its erect position, said jack means comprising a hydraulicjack, and a hand pump mounted on said base plate and connected incommunication with the jack.

3. A ball stamping machine comprising a horizontal base plate, acircular ball seat fixed on the base plate, a yoke pivotally mounted atits lower end on the base on an axis extending crosswise of said seat,said yoke having a bight portion spaced above the seat and legs disposedat opposite sides of said seat, to embrace a ball in the seat, avertically movable die block slidably mounted on said bight portion, aball stamping die means on the lower end of said block, a rock leverhaving a first end pivoted to said block, means rockably supporting saidlever on the base plate at a point intermediate the ends of the lever,said lever having a second end, and vertically extensible andcontractible jack means mounted at its lower end of the base plate andengaged at its upper end with the second end of the rock lever, saidjack means being extensible ,to force the die block downwardly to applythe die means against a ball resting in said seat, said yoke normallyoccupying an erect position, and being tiltable out of erect position tofree a ball for removal from the seat, and means for releasably lockingthe yoke in its erect position, yoke supporting means comprising astandard shorter than said yoke and having a lower end spaced upwardlyfrom the lower end of the yoke, said'standard having an upright portionspaced laterally from the yoke and a foot portion extending to and fixedto the bight portion of the yoke, and an upstanding rest fixed on saidbase, said rest having a removable wedge pin extending therethrough uponwhich the lower end of the standard rests only in an erect position ofan assembly composed of said yoke, said standard, and said lever, saidstandard being depressible and tiltable relative to said rest with theWedge pin removed from the rest.

4. A ball stamping machine comprising a horizontal base plate, acircular ball seat fixed on the base plate, a yoke pivotally mounted atits lower end on the base on an axis extending crosswise of said seat,said yoke having a bight portion spaced above the seat and legs disposedat opposite sides of said seat, to embrace a ball in the seat, avertically movable die block slidably mounted on said bight portion,ball stamping die means on the lower end of said block, a rock leverhaving a first end pivoted to said block, means rockably supporting saidlever on the base plate at a point intermediate the ends of the lever,said lever having a second end, and vertically extensible andcontractible jack means mounted at its lower end of the base plate andengaged at its upper end with the second end .of the rock lever, saidjack means being extensible to force the die block downwardly to applythe die means against a ball resting in said seat, said yoke normallyoccupying an erect position, and being tiltable out of erect position tofree a ball for removal from the seat, and means for releasably lockingthe yoke in its erect position, yoke supporting means comprising astandard shorter than said yoke and having a lower end spaced upwardlyfrom the lower end of the yoke, said standard having an upright portionspaced laterally from the yoke and a foot portion extending to and fixedto the bight portion of the yoke, and an upstanding rest fixed on saidbase, said rest having a removable wedge pin extending therethrough uponwhich the lower end of the standard rests only in an erect position ofan assembly composed of said yoke, said standard, and said lever, saidstandard being depressible and tiltable relative to said rest with thewedge pin removed from the rest, said wedge pin having an upper wedgesurface to engage the lower end of the standard to wedge said assemblyto its erect position.

5. A ball stamping machine comprising a horizontal base plate, acircular ball seat fixed on the base plate, a yoke pivotally mounted atits lower end on the base on an axis extending crosswise of said seat,said yoke having a bight portion spaced above the seat and legs disposedat opposite sides of said seat, to embrace a ball in the seat, avertically movable die block slidably mounted on said bight portion,ball stamping die means on the lower end of said block, a rock leverhaving a first end pivoted to said block, means rockably supporting saidlever on the base plate at a point intermediate the ends of the lever,said lever having a second end, and vertically extensible andcontractible jack means mounted at its lower end of the base plate andengaged at its upper end with the second end of the rock lever, saidjack means being extensible to force the die block downwardly to applythe die means against a ball resting in said seat, said yoke normallyoccupying an erect position, and being tiltable out of erect position tofree a ball for removal from the seat, and means for releasably lockingthe yoke in its erect position, yoke supporting means comprising astandard shorter than said yoke and having a lower end spaced upwardlyfrom the lower end of the yoke, said standard having an upright portionspaced laterally from the yoke and a foot portion extending to and fixedto the bight portion of the yoke, and an upstanding rest fixed on saidbase, said rest having a removable wedge pin extending therethrough uponwhich the lower end of the standard rests only in an erect position ofan assembly composed of said yoke, said standard, and said lever, saidstandard being depressible and tiltable relative to said rest with thewedge pin removed from the rest, said Wedge pin having an upper wedgesurface to engage the lower end of the standard to wedge said assemblyin its elevated and erect position, said standard having a stop fingerat its lower end and projecting toward the seat, the seat having a sidewall provided with a Vertical slot having an upper end, said stop fingerextending through the seat slot and being engaged with the upper end ofthe slot to prevent tilting of the assembly away from the seat in itserect position. a

6. A ball stamping machine comprising a horizontal base plate, acircular ball seat fixedron the base plate, a yoke pivotally mounted atits lower end on the base on an axis extending crosswise of said seat, avertically movable die block mounted on said bight portion, ballstamping die means on the lower end of said block, a rock lever having afirst end pivoted to said block, means rockably supporting said lever onthe base plate at a point inter mediate the ends of the lever, saidlever having a second end, and vertically extensible and contractiblejack means mounted at its lower end of the base plate and engaged at itsupper end with the second end of the rock lever, said jack means beingextensible to force the die block downwardly to apply the die meansagainst a ball resting in said seat, said supporting means comprising astandard shorter than said yoke and having a lower end spaced upwardiyfrom the lower end of the yoke, said standard having an upright portionspaced from the yoke and a foot portion extending to and fixed to thebight portion of the yoke, and an upstanding rest fixed on said base,said rest having a removable wedge pin extending therethrough upon whichthe lower end of the standard rests only in an elevated and erectposition of an assembly composed of said yoke, said standard, and saidlever, said standard being depressible and tiltable relative to saidrest with the wedge pin removed from the rest, said wedge pin having anupper wedge surface to engage the lower end of the standard to Wedgesaid assembly in its elevated and erect position, said standard having astop finger at its lower end and projecting toward the seat, the seathaving a side wall provided with a vertical slot having an upper end,said stop finger extending through the seat slot and being engaged withthe upper end of the slot to prevent tilting of the assembly away fromthe seat in the elevated and erect position, and contractile springmeans acting between second end of the rock lever and said standard forelevating said rock lever and the die block relative to the yoke.

7. A ball stamping machine comprising a horizontal base plate, acircular ball seat fixed on the base plate, a yoke pivotally mounted atits lower end on the base on an axis extending crosswise of said seat,said yoke having a bight portion spaced above the seat and legs disposedat opposite sides of said seat, to embrace a ball in the seat, avertically movable die block slidably mounted on said bight portion,ball stamping die means on the lower end of said block, a rock leverhaving a first end pivoted to said block, means rockably supporting saidlever on the base plate at a point intermediate the ends of the lever,said lever having a second end, and vertically extensible andcontractible jack means mounted at its lower end of the base plate andengaged at its upper end with the second end of the rock lever, saidjack means being extensible to force the die block downwardly to applythe die means against a ball resting in said seat, said yoke normallyoccupying an erect position, and being tiltable out of erect position tofree a ball for removal from the seat, and means for releasably lockingthe yoke in its erect position, said yoke being of inverted U-shape andhaving legs depending from said bight portion at opposite sides of theball seat, a trunnion rod being journaled diametrically through the ballseat and having end portions at opposite sides of the seat to which thesaid legs are fixed at their lower ends.

8. A ball stamping machine comprising a horizontal base plate, acircular ball seat fixed on the base plate, a yoke pivotally mounted atits lower end on the base on an axis extending crosswise of said seat,said yoke having a bight portion spaced above the seat andlegs disposedat opposite sides of said seat, to embrace a ball in the seat, avertically movable die block slidably mounted on said bight portion,ball stamping die means on the lower end of said block, a" rock leverhaving a first end pivoted to said block, means rockably supporting saidlever on the base plate at a point intermediate the ends of the lever,said lever having a second end, and vertically extensible andcontractible jack means mounted at its lower end of the base plate andengaged at its upper end with the second end of the rock lever, saidjack means being extensible to force the die block downwardly to applythe die means against a ball resting in said seat, said yoke normallyoccupying an erect position, and being tiltable out of erect position tofree a ball for removal from the seat, and means for releasably lockingthe yoke in its erect position, said yoke being of inverted U-shape andhaving legs depending from said bight portion at opposite sides of theball seat, a trunnion rod being journaled diametrically through the ballseat and having end portions at opposite sides of the seat to which thesaid legs are fixed at their lower ends, said bight portion having avertical slot in which said-die block is slidably confined.

9. A ball stamping machine comprising a base, an up- 8 standing circularball seat fixed upon the base, an inverted U-shaped yoke having a bightportion spaced above the seat and depending legs disposed at oppositesides of the seat, means pivoting said legs at their lower ends to thebase, a standard having an upright portion disposed at a side of theseat between the yoke legs, said standard having a foot portionextending from said upright portion to and fixed to the bight portion ofthe yoke, said upright portion having a lower end spaced upwardly fromthe base, a rest upstanding on said base, a removable pin extendingcrosswise of and supported on the rest for engagement by the lower endof the upright portion only in erect operative positions of the standardand the yoke, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends on the foot portionof the standard, said lever having first and second ends, a die blockmounted on the yoke bight portion for vertical movement, said die blockbeing pivoted to the second end of said lever, and a verticallyextensible jack mounted on said upright portion of the standard andoperatively engaged with the first end of the lever.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS103,919 Owen June 7, 1870 1,537,685 Ladd May 12, 1925 1,724,085 HauerAug. 13, 1929 1,834,011 Valiquette Dec. 1, 1931. 1,925,236 Doyle et a1.Sept. 5, 1933 1,999,647 Atti Apr. 30, 1935 2,002,847 Atti May 28, 19352,262,180 Hauer Nov. 11, 1941 2,541,358 Hirsch Feb. 13, 1951 2,561,947Premo July 24, 1951 2,875,684 Teel Mar. 3, 1959

